ITR, the promoter of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) German touring car series, has presented its vision of all-electric racing, featuring fully automated robotic pit stops.
If implemented, pit stops would feature large industrial specification robot rigs that could replace all four tyres as well as remove and replace the vehicle’s battery pack or hydrogen fuel tank in similar times to a typical pit stop today, allowing for 40-minute races to be staged.
According to DTM, the automation process also makes pit-stops safer, removing the threat to the dozen or so crew members surrounding a car when it pulls into the box.
“This is a courageous and innovative concept,” said ITR chairman Gerhard Berger. “You have to look far ahead if you want to shape the future of motor sports and offer racing that inspires the fans.
“It is obvious that manufacturers who want to become involved in motorsport are increasingly focusing on alternative concepts.”
